The competition has a pilot, student pilot, and non-pilot category and the 12 finalists were picked from the highest overall scores worldwide at each level, and the highest scores from the three tests: precision landing, steep turns, and Lazy Eights.

The steep turns was “fairly easy” and Lazy Eights was the most challenging, said Katz.

“The contest itself is not easy,” said Bashy, his instructor. “The competition scores your ability to perform in certain parameters. A couple of them are pretty advanced.”

Competitors first viewed a training video that provided an overview of the skills involved, then took a training flight with guidance from the TRACE simulator, and finally took the challenge flight with no assistance from the simulator.

In the initial round, competitors could take the Challenge multiple times with the highest score counting.

“You could take it as many times as you wanted,” said Katz, “but you’re paying for the hours.”

Katz is one of two teens out of 568 people from 33 states and four countries who participated in the initial round to make it to the Challenge finals, according to Jeff Van West, director of Redbird Media.

A rising senior at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, Katz plans to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. He has been taking lessons at Executive Flyers since 2012. Last year, a day after his 16th birthday he did his first solo flight, and last month, he earned his private pilot's license.

“Now I’m able to take up passengers and I’m not restricted to one plane. I can now fly any single-engine plane," said Katz, who has taken his parents, brother and grandparents on flights.

Bashy, Katz’ third instructor over the past year, describes his student as a “whiz kid,” someone with skills far beyond his age.

“I’ll put it this way, I wish I had what he has when I was his age.”

Having flown with Katz on a number of occasions, Bashy noted that he wasn’t really surprised by his student's performance.

“He’s confident and competent as well,” Bashy said. “It’s an enthusiasm he’s got. If you’re going to be in aviation as a hobby or profession, you have to have compassion and enthusiasm.”

Page 2 of 2 - This Sunday, Katz will fly to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for the EAA AirVenture, a weeklong annual gathering of aviation enthusiasts that attracts more than 500,000 visitors and 10,000 airplanes.

“They’re putting me up in a hotel. The next few days I’ll enjoy the festival and Wednesday morning is the day of the Challenge,” said Katz who is thankful that his flight school offered the Redbird Simulator as an additional means of training.

The big showdown will take place on the festival's main stage and shown on Jumbotron screens, with competitive flyer Michael Goulian, a native of Winthrop, and Hal Bryan, of the Experimental Aircraft Association, providing live commentary.

In addition to a flight suit and Garmin pilot watch that all finalists receive, the winners in each category get a trophy "and, of course, bragging rights," said Van West.

Win or lose in Oshkosh, when Katz returns to Massachusetts that free lunch is still waiting.

“He’s on vacation right now,” said Bashy. “I’m a man of my word. When he gets back I’ll definitely take him out.”